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Discharge Instructions for Laparoscopic Splenectomy (Pediatric)

Your child had a procedure called splenectomy, which is the surgical removal of the spleen. Located in the upper left portion of the abdomen, the spleen acted as a filter for blood and helped your child’s body fight infection. Your doctor made three or four small incisions in your child’s abdomen and then inserted tubelike instruments through these incisions. This approach allows your child to recover from surgery more quickly and with less discomfort. Here's what you need to know about home care.

Incision Care

Check your child’s incisions daily for redness, swelling, or separation of the skin.

Follow the surgeon's instructions on when you child can take a bath or shower.

Make sure you or your child washes the incision sites gently with mild soap and warm water and pats them dry.

Activity

Ask the surgeon when it will be safe for your child to lift things and/or get back to normal activities.

Remember, your child will be a little unsteady on his or her feet for a few days after getting home from the hospital.

Don’t allow your child to lift anything heavier than 3 pounds(no more than 1 or 2 text books at a time) to avoid straining the incisions.

Give your child a break from chores. Your child shouldn’t push a vacuum or mow the lawn until the doctor says it’s okay to do so.